page_title: Rikidōzan
section_title: Death
hierarchical_section_title: Rikidōzan / Death
caption_attribution_description: English: Newspaper photo of Katsushi Murata that appeared after he had stabbed the pro wrestler Rikidōzan
context_page_description: Mitsuhiro Momota, better known as Rikidōzan, was a Korean Japanese professional wrestler known as The Father of Puroresu and one of the most influential men in professional wrestling history. Initially, he had moved from his native country Korea to Japan to become a sumo wrestler. He was credited with bringing the sport of professional wrestling to Japan at a time when the Japanese needed a local hero to emulate and was lauded as a national hero. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2017, becoming the first Korean inductee and the third puroresu star to be inducted after Antonio Inoki and Tatsumi Fujinami. He was murdered by a member of the Yakuza in 1963.
context_section_description: On December 8, 1963, Rikidōzan was stabbed once by Katsushi Murata, a member of the ninkyō dantai Sumiyoshi-ikka, a sub branch of the yakuza, after an altercation in a nightclub. Rikidōzan alleged that Murata stepped on his shoe, and demanded an apology. Murata refused and the two began to argue which eventually led to Rikidōzan punching Murata in the face, knocking him against a wall. Rikidōzan then mounted Murata and continued to punch him on the ground until Murata stabbed Rikidōzan once in the abdomen. Both immediately fled the scene and Rikidōzan was taken to Sannoh Hospital, where a doctor decreed the wound to be non-serious but advised Rikidōzan to have surgery. The surgery was successful and he returned home, but went against doctors orders and began eating and drinking the same day, sending his assistant to the store for sushi and sake. Due to drinking so much, Rikidōzan worsened his condition and required a second surgery one week later, but had developed peritonitis and died at approximately 9:50pm on December 15, 1963. He was 39 years old.
  Rikidōzan's funeral was held on December 20, 1963, in Ikegami Honmonji Temple in Ōta, Tokyo. Among those in attendance were Rikidōzan's students, Antonio Inoki, Giant Baba and Kintaro Ohki as well as various other opponents from throughout his career.
  Katsushi Murata was later found guilty of manslaughter in October 1964 and served eight years in prison before being released in 1972. Murata visits the grave of Rikidōzan every year on December 15 following his release. He also calls the sons of Rikidōzan and apologises yearly. In the years following his release, Murata became a high ranking member of the Yakuza. Murata died on April 9, 2013 from natural causes.
caption: Newspaper photo of Katsushi Murata that appeared after he had stabbed Rikidōzan
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